One of the vehicles involved in the Sunday crashes. Photo: Fire Distirct 7

LARGER image of above. Photo: Fire Distirct 7. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Chronicle staff

(MONROE, WA.) -- It was one of those awful, deadly crashes on a cold, wet winter day you were glad not to be involved in.

About 2:45 pm Sunday afternoon Fire District 7, which covers central and east Snohomish County was dispatched on a report of a high speed, head-on collision involving three vehicles in the 18500 block of State Route 203 near Monroe.

When crews arrived they found both directions of SR 203 were blocked, and there was severe damage to two of the vehicles.

They began to triage patients and secure vehicles. according to Heather Chadwick, Public Information Officer for the District. "One patient needed to be extricated from a vehicle," she said. "The patient that was extricated and quickly back boarded and placed in a medic unit to transport Providence in Everett with life threatening injuries. During transport crews had to start CPR. "

Unfortunately that patient was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. He was later identified by the state patrol as 79-year old Robert W. Allender of Monroe.

Three additional patients were transported with severe injuries; two being transported to Providence in Everett, one to Harborview, added Chadwick.

An additional two patients were transported to Evergreen Hospital in Monroe with minor injuries.

SR 203 was closed in both directions for several hours while Washington State Patrol conducted an investigation into the crash and while the WSP said late Sunday night the cause was under investigation, here is what they initially discovered about what happened.

A red 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 flatbed pickup truck and a beige 1981 Toyota Pickup were southbound on SR 203 at milepost 22, which is about 1 mile south of Monroe.

At the same time a black 2008 Honda Fit hatchback was northbound on SR 203 at the same spot, milepost 22, when the Toyota pickup slowed to make a left turn into a private driveway.

Then, for reasons not known, the red Dodge Ram pickup crashed into the 2008 Honda hatchback, pushing it into the northbound lane where it then crashed into the beige 1981 Toyota pickup truck. Robert W. Allender of Monroe, who later died at the hospital, was the driver of that beige Toyota pickup truck. His vehicle was totaled by the impact.

Injured in the crash were:

.......Syon T. McClure, 19, of Issaquah, WA the driver of the black Honda Fit Hatchback. That vehicle was also totaled.